Apple Doubles Microsoft by 2:1 in Cybersecurity Threats

According to a fresh report on malware that further sinks deep into the debate of cyberattacks, research company Malwarebytes has used data from various fields to analyze the cybersecurity attacks that effected either the consumers or the business in 2019. But the most surprising thing is the platforms on which these attacks happened: Apple vs Microsoft. Surprisingly, the report tells us that the cybersecurity threats had a larger effect on Apple than that of Microsoft.

An insight into State of Malware Reports- 

The 2020 Malwarebytes research looked into the following fields for the potential cybersecurity threats: macOS and Windows, iOS and Android users, attacks based on web browsers, and attacks that happened on Windows or Mac PCs. After calculating the cybersecurity threats and analyzing the data, the ‘State of Malwares’ report revealed that cybersecurity threats against Apple increased by 400% in the year 2019. It also concludes that Apple outnumbers Microsoft by 2:1 in terms of cybersecurity threats.

The ratio shouldn’t be ignored as Malwarebyte’s Apple has a larger user base than Microsoft. Further, the report reveals that Mac files tend to have more malicious behavior (front and center) throughout the years, allowing more space for hackers to deploy evading techniques to escape iOS discovery. As the malware signs of progress keep affecting the iOS, users should rethink if they should install antivirus in their phones or not, as it opens up the space for cyber attacks.

Does it raise concern over Mac Security- 

If you look back in the past media coverage on cybersecurity, the reports would suggest that there were more attacks to Microsoft or Windows users than to Apple or iOS. But simply having fewer reports than Microsoft doesn’t mean that Apple has better cybersecurity. There have been a few prominent incidents that raised suspicion over Apple’s commitment to security. For instance, the iPhone specific threats, or the Siri feature that left encrypted emails encrypted, or the apps that could tell if “your iPhone was hacked,” or to ensure the security of the Apple Smartwatch 5. The Malwarebytes report suggests that one shouldn’t ignore this while moving into 2020, as 2019 showed it was a bad year for Apple.